When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 fans in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
That statement turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the midfielder has earned his first call-up to the senior Three Lions squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a proper throwback, a journey rarely told in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of becoming a professional football player, never mind playing in the top division and representing England as well,” the player said previously.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed drastically for myself and my family.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself here?
Developing in the lower tiers
His path in football has not been a typical one.
He spent four and a half years in Southampton’s academy setup from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth gave Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his heart was not in it.
Instead, he opted to remain on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was becoming overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at home with my mates at weekends because I missed almost four and a half years of that experience. Getting that slice of youth back was a thing I really required.
“Building a bit of confidence by coming back and playing local football was huge for me. That proved to be probably the most crucial factors that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, the teenager became the youngest player in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half substitute in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I had sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the manner he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – owned by islander Steve Lansdown – had been tracking Scott’s development after an promising beginning in adult football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said the player. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. From that point a certainty for me to sign a deal.”
Within 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut versus Luton.
He went on to make eighty-three league outings for the club while in his teens, often being used as a wide defender – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and flexibility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.
Thanks to his ability to carry the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the second tier’s best young player award, was selected in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he’ll play for England and I think he will progress to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked last year.
Less than 90 days after, he signed for the Cherries for a reported transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder endured a difficult debut campaign with the club, having to wait until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.
His second campaign was just as disrupted, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for almost four months.
“There was a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained Scott.
“That felt like yet another obstacle and the year was shaping up as a pretty bad year for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in regain fitness in time.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six games as they claimed victory in the competition in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun this season equally as strongly for his club, featuring in every game to guide them to the top five in the table.
“To play for the England senior team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” the player said earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a footballer, maintain my love for the game, improving day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the England manager and get my chance.”
